Conventional pneumatic tools generally are actuated by compressed air supplied through an air supply duct. The air supply duct is connected to an air intake connector to couple with a pneumatic tool in a detachable manner. The air intake connector generally is fastened to the handgrip of the pneumatic tool by screw coupling. Then the air supply duct is connected to a connection section of the air intake connector.
The conventional pneumatic tool mentioned above has a shortcoming. Namely the air supply duct usually is made from a hard and sturdy material and connected to the air intake connector and cannot be turned independently from the pneumatic tool. When the pneumatic tool is in use and turned, the air supply duct abutting the pneumatic tool often entangles with the pneumatic tool. As a result, operational maneuverability of the pneumatic tool decreases. Moreover, the tangling of the air supply duct reduces compressed air supply and affects operational quality of the pneumatic tool.
R.O.C. patent publication No. 333485 entitled “Apparatus, throttle air inlet and air intake sleeve for pneumatic tools” discloses a rotary air intake sleeve to couple a pneumatic tool with an air supply hose. The air intake sleeve has a first groove formed on the outer surface thereof to couple with a pin located in the handgrip of the pneumatic tool by turning. Such a construction enables the air intake sleeve to be turned in the handgrip about its own longitudinal axis so that when the air supply hose is connected to an outer end of the air intake sleeve the pneumatic tool may be turned independently from the air supply hose.
However, the structure set forth above has to form an aperture on the handgrip to receive the pin to couple with the complementary groove formed on the peripheral surface of the air intake sleeve. Such a design increases fabrication process and cost, also damages the structure of the pneumatic tool, and might cause leaking of compressed air.